Wednesday's Daily Pulse

What you need to know about Florida today

| 5/29/2013

› Apps are the new salespeople in U.S. stores[Reuters] Some retailers in the United States are starting to communicate with shoppers via a smartphone app called Swirl that uses in-store sensors to track their location in the shop to send them personalized offers and recommendations. It's just one of the ways that brick-and-mortar shops are using apps to appeal to younger, more tech-savvy consumers.

› TECO Energy acquires New Mexico natural gas company[Tampa Bay Times] The acquisition of New Mexico Gas Co., expands TECO's customer base outside of Florida for the first time and enlarges an operation that now stands as the Sunshine State's third largest investor owned utility.

› Five questions for...Beverly Raphael[South Florida Sun-Sentinel] Beverly Raphael, head of a Deerfield Beach general contracting firm, has been named the first female recipient of the Entrepreneur of the Year award by the Wharton Club of South Florida.